Counselor IV

Autonomously assesses and creates a well-rounded diagnosis and treatment plan for dual diagnosis clients. Supervises students, interns, and Provisional Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (PLMHP) counseling staff for licensure and to meet standards for insurance billing. Serves as primary counseling resource in manager's absence, provides staffing and coverage support, and specialized in-house training. Provides counseling services requiring specific competencies and/or credentials for reimbursement authorization as prescribed by insurance providers. Completes mental status assessments as well as diagnostic interviews. Implements assessments, treatment plans, and discharge plans on all clients assigned to their caseload with a particular focus on dual diagnosis clientele. Actively communicates with referral sources to secure ongoing services for clients preparing to discharge from current levels of care.

PRINCIPAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. *Commits to the mission, vision, beliefs and consistently demonstrates our core values.
2. Provides coverage and serves as the primary contact to respond to clinical issues when the Independence Center (IC) Clinical Manager is absent or as assigned.
3. *In collaboration with the IC Clinical Manager, provides support for staffing and coverage issues.
4. *Provides in-house trainings for staff in areas of expertise, especially related to dual diagnosis.
5. Utilizes advanced professional skills and insight to work with clients that include psychological issues in addition to the behavioral and substance use issues identified.
6. *Assumes a client caseload representative of complexity and area of designated expertise to include severe and persistent mental illness.
7. *Participates in quality assurance activities and file audits to ensure compliance with standards (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, paperwork standards, etc.)
8. *Acts as a mentor to new staff and non-clinical staff members including nurses, technicians, and administrators by providing education, feedback and direction.
9. *Chairs and participates in IC teams and committees and hospital wide teams/boards/committees.
10. *Exhibits skills in all levels of the continuum of substance abuse treatment (i.e. inpatient care, residential care, intensive outpatient, continuing care, and individual sessions).
11. *Clinically supervises practicum students, interns and counseling staff seeking credentialing as assigned and providing supervision as needed to fulfill insurance requirements.
12. *Establishes and maintains effective therapeutic relationships with clients and/or families and significant other who are experiencing a variety of complex substance abuse problems.
13. *Utilizes skills in individual, family and group settings as they apply to primary substance abuse issues.
14. *Conducts chemical dependency assessments and evaluations to include a complete psychosocial assessments and mental health diagnosis as appropriate.
15. *Conducts mental status assessments as needed.
16. *Ensures completeness and timeliness in clinical record keeping, to include, orientation, assessments, progress notes, treatment plan update/staffing reviews, mental health diagnosis, and discharge plans.
17. Provides educational lectures to both clients and their families in areas specific to substance abuse and mental health.
18. Presents clinical cases to multidisciplinary team in order to develop and prioritize client's needs, update treatment plans, and plan for appropriate discharge.
19. Maintains active and consistent communication with current and potential referral sources in the community to ensure continuity of care for substance use and mental health clients.
20. Clinically communicates with third party payers in order to ensure continued stays for efforts at the appropriate levels of care and completes peer reviews as assigned.
21. *Provides oversight of client care and clinically supports other staff members in the absence of the IC Clinical Manager.
22. Provides counseling services requiring specific competencies and/or credentials for reimbursement authorizations as directed by IC Clinical Manager.
23. Maintains professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest trends in field of expertise.
24. Participates in meetings, committees and department projects as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Master's Degree in Counseling or Behavioral Health field required. Licensure as a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner required. Licensure as a Provisional Alcohol and Drug Counselor or Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor preferred.

If prior or current history of alcohol and drug dependency, must provide evidence of sobriety for a minimum of 12 months prior to employment.

OTHER CREDENTIALS / CERTIFICATIONS:

Basic Life Support (CPR) certification required. Bryan Health recognizes American Heart Association (for healthcare professionals), American Red Cross (for healthcare professionals) and the Military Training Network.